[Albion] Change to away ticket sales process [Club update - post #140]

[Bozza]

Some interesting insights in this reply to the way the PL differs from the Championship. For info, Fulham still have the 'neutral' blocks in the Putney end - although now renamed the 'mixed' area - so when you sell out your allocation in the away blocks you can buy tickets in there if you have a booking history (at least that's been the approach in the past - now you've not played there for a season it might be different).

I was wondering if you would be doing away with the neutral area now.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Everton away?! Terrible view from anywhere in the away section.

Including the disabled section. I was allocated a seat on the very front row, and found myself staring at the back of a man in a wheelchair, who was head and shoulders above me.
Fortunately a steward saw what had happened and I was moved to a carers seat in front of the front row.

 

[Official Old Man]

There will be problems with this, not affecting BHA finances nor logistics but for travelling fans.

Generally I was in an area around and about where I selected, as a preferred site.

Now, with a general free-for-all, there may be more frequent animated discussions about location.

As I said, doesn't affect the club though.

I don't think it's a free for all. Fans are allocated seat numbers once the club have the final numbers. So it's still first to book gets the front seats.
Everton though springs to mind with four blocks, two up and two down. There is going to be a lot of seat swopping at grounds, that's for sure.

 

[Is it PotG?]

Fans are allocated seat numbers once the club have the final numbers. So it's still first to book gets the front seats. There is going to be a lot of seat swopping at grounds, that's for sure.

I book on the first day. I do not want front seats.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I'm not having this, it is too difficult, nonsense. When you buy a ticket for absolutely any other event you can choose your seat or enclosure, or what have you. Football clubs really do get away with appalling levels of customer service with regards to away tickets. All football clubs have proper box offices, with a proper amount of staff, administering a system where fans are allocated a ticket based on where they, roughly, want to sit should be an absolute piece of piss but they just do not want to make the effort.

It isn't customer service at all, by any stretch of the imagination. It's lets do what's best for the football club, and sod the fans.

 

[Charlies Shinpad]

Everton away?! Terrible view from anywhere in the away section.

Binfest day when they go on sale

Sent from my EML-L09 using Tapatalk

 

[Cowfold Seagull]

You will get your tickets in advance so will know where you are sitting and, based on the tickets I’ve purchased this coming season, you can find out where you are sitting from the ticketing website. However, probably like most, the lack of choice is disappointing and slightly archaic. The ability to choose a block and randomly select until you got a row that you wanted was very welcome last year.

Yes of course they will know in advance, (as long as someone doesn't try to take their seat when they arrive, as someone else suggested on here), but as you say, the anarchic booking system and the inability to at least choose a row or block number, may put some people off from going.

 

[Hotchilidog]

I can understand the club's reasoning even if I do not necessarily like it. That said this is quite often rendered moot by the sit where we want mob anyway, which really hacks me off when I take the trouble to add mates to friends and family and buy the tickets together.

I think the suggestion of a front, middle, back drop down menu is a good one if that is feasible so that at least a preference is expressed and the club have a record and can act accordingly where possible.

 

[Johnnyboy]

The earliest ticket buyers get the best seats! No we can't let you have your preference of block/front/back/middle but you will get the best seats decided by?

Be better going back to sit/stand where you want then at least we won't have the 'sit down I can't see' or the 'you're sitting in my seat' drama.

I'm very disappointed that after deciding to go down this route that the club haven't thought more about the fans needs and expectations.

Will it make any difference to me? No, I travel by myself and although preferring to sit middle of middle block in away games as long as I have a ticket I'm happy.

Still annoying though.

 

[Giraffe]

My personal view, which I've shared with Jenny, is that I entirely understand the risk the club are trying to mitigate here, eg the club take a full 3,000 allocation but only sell 1,500 tickets, the club has to pay £45,000 to the home club for unsold tickets.

For this reason, for some games, the approach taken by the club seems eminently sensible.

However, there are a large number of games where a full 3,000 (or less in some cases) allocations will absolutely sell out, and it seems a shame that fans are not being able to be selective as to what seats they want for these games. Although we've never been able to select specific seats, we have been able to choose specific blocks and I know many of us have become accustomed to repeatedly selecting seats from a block until we get the row in an area we are happy with (front, middle, back) before completing a purchase.

I also wonder if this new approach will lead to an increase in people simply taking the seats of others because the seats they were sold are a long way from their preference, leading to confrontation between Albion fans at away games...

"You're in my seat."
"I got here first - go and find a seat somewhere else"

Totally agree. All last season I thought the system was great, if you got in early you could chose the block you wanted and therefore not face the prospect of a long trip and a totally shit seat.

I do think the club has got this one wrong. Whilst I understand the financial point why can't they still allocate blocks? I really doubt when the club come to allocate seats they will do it on a first come first serve basis, best blocks first. How will they know different peoples preference.

There are a good proportion of games where where we should sell out or come close to selling out 3,000 tickets, maybe two thirds of them? So as you have said at least these should be based on the old system.

 

[tronnogull]

Whatever the factors are in this new system and whatever the issues it raises...................this is a massive mistake by the club in not communicating their intent and the reasons for it ahead of its implementation. Surely they would have realised that it would create questions and complaints from puzzled fans. And from those fans are amongst the club's most loyal supporters. How much better it would have been to head off the questions, and maybe ask for supporter input and suggestions, before imposing their least effort method.

And no, I am not happy with my VRS1 Row A Seat 9 seat at Watford.......but someone else might well have preferred that seat with no one in front of them........

 

[Giraffe]

I'm not having this, it is too difficult, nonsense. When you buy a ticket for absolutely any other event you can choose your seat or enclosure, or what have you. Football clubs really do get away with appalling levels of customer service with regards to away tickets. All football clubs have proper box offices, with a proper amount of staff, administering a system where fans are allocated a ticket based on where they, roughly, want to sit should be an absolute piece of piss but they just do not want to make the effort.

Let's take Southampton as an example, a quick google lets me know that the away fans are in blocks 44-48, and the rows are 'numbered' with A at the front running back to OO. With 44 and 48 being next to the home fans and that the disabled section is in the middle of block 44. So all seats in front of that disabled section can be classified as front type seats. How hard is it really after getting this information to divide the seats broadly in to three, front, middle and back, and give fans a non guaranteed choice? We all know the answer is it really is not that difficult but Jenny Gower just cannot be bothered, because pesky football fans are moaning about something the club are not directly making money out of.

And this in bucket loads. You wouldn't accept it if you went to the theatre would you. Yes sir you can pay me your money but I have no idea where in the theatre you will sitting, it may be a restricted view, it may be a very poor view, but yes please can I have your money. Okay then.

 

[Gazwag]

MONEY BEFORE FANS complete bollocks - how much money is really at risk maybe two or three games won't sell out and anybody who knows anything about football or the Albion will know exactly which ones

 

[Giraffe]

In light of this we are now selling a dummy block of seats for our away games and once we decide our allocation we are moving supporters in to the allocated seating plan. Where possible we are ensuring those fans that book the earliest get the best seats (which is often not the case if you sell from a block plan – for example, where host clubs dictate the order we must sell in – as sometimes those fans with the most loyalty points who book early can be stuck in the worst seats).

I bought my Watford tickets at 9am the first day they were available, we have been allocated tickets in the corner block, not behind the goal. So it appears they are not doing this, well didn't for Watford anyway. Unless they perceive that I would rather sit in the corner than in the middle, which would be very odd.

 

[Is it PotG?]

One of the less appealing elements of playing in the PL and all the £££££££ joys it brings.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I book on the first day. I do not want front seats.

This x100000000000

 

[Gazwag]

For me booking at 9am the day the tickets are realised isn't (usually) a problem but there are loads of fans who cannot do this until the evening, why should they be faced with the lottery of rubbish seats just because they cannot get online at 9am.

Although we are all relying on the basis that some goon in the ticket office throws a dart at seating plan and decides where the "best" seats are.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

I also wonder if this new approach will lead to an increase in people simply taking the seats of others because the seats they were sold are a long way from their preference, leading to confrontation between Albion fans at away games...

"You're in my seat."
"I got here first - go and find a seat somewhere else"

Is this much of an issue ? On the rare occasions I have found someone in my seat I have asked them to move and they have done so. If they had refused I would have asked a steward to remove them but that need has never arisen.

 

[Kuipers Supporters Club]

I've just scribbled some notes down on the basis that the club pays up front for all its allocations, 3,000 ( except B'muff, Palace & H'field)

I have tried to take into account a second season dip, with us not selling out at the following grounds, but still asking and paying for the full allocation - Burnley, Cardiff, Everton, Huddersfield, Leicester, Man City, Newcastle & Wolves - that's nearly half our away games.

At £30 a ticket and not filling out these ground with modest away followings would cost the club £270,000

 

[Notters]

All completely fair, understandable, and professionally set out.

I disagree entirely and I tend to support the club on these issues.

A key bit for me is:

Where possible we are ensuring those fans that book the earliest get the best seats

This is entirely contrary to the earlier part which acknowledges people would like to choose their seats, because what is best is entirely subjective. I personally like to be high up, for the view, the atmosphere and more tolerance for standing. Some people just prefer being close to the action. Some want to be near an exit, etc. etc.